Liszt vs. Paganini

Both were unquestionably virtuosos on their respective instrument (I argue that they were the greatest the world has ever seen), but whose talent would you prefer to have?

Liszt never made a pact with the Devil, unlike Paganini!

Well, I've never heard either of them play, so I can hardly judge...

Practically speaking, I should say Paganini, as then I could play the violin extremely well, plus the piano at my current mediocre level. Were I to pick Liszt's pianistic skill I'd "only" be a skilled pianist.

Were I to pick Liszt's pianistic skill I'd "only" be a skilled pianist.

lol...

Paganini was a veritable freak of nature.

They were both far too amazing for human liking.

Originally Posted by M_is_D

Liszt never made a pact with the Devil, unlike Paganini!

Who knows...and did you really watch Paganini signing his pact?

I said Paganini, even though I like Liszt better as a composer. For virtuistic ability, I've always thought that little compares to what the greatest violinists have done, such as Heifetz. The greatest violin playing always sends chills down my spine, since so much work needs to be put into the instrument to even get the right notes and rhythm, yet they create the most beautiful music. Pianists, even though it is my primary instrument of many, I feel it's still just pressing down a bunch of buttons, and just listening to the greatest piano pieces I find not even half as fascinating as violin pieces.

Originally Posted by W.E. Sapphire

(I argue that they were the greatest the world has ever seen)

Ridiculous. Even in his own time, Liszt had many competitors, amongst them Sigmund Thalberg. It is unreasonable to conclude that Liszt is the greatest pianist the world has ever seen. In fact, Chopin my have been better but alas did not have the finger strength to pull off what Liszt could do in terms of dynamics. A good read on this subject is Harold C. Schonberg's "The Great Pianists".

As far as Paganini being the greatest the world has ever seen... well that's just complete nonsense. He advanced many techniques that now are standard in the violin repertoire.

Originally Posted by ThePianoSonata

Ridiculous. Even in his own time, Liszt had many competitors, amongst them Sigmund Thalberg. It is unreasonable to conclude that Liszt is the greatest pianist the world has ever seen. In fact, Chopin my have been better but alas did not have the finger strength to pull off what Liszt could do in terms of dynamics. A good read on this subject is Harold C. Schonberg's "The Great Pianists".

As far as Paganini being the greatest the world has ever seen... well that's just complete nonsense. He advanced many techniques that now are standard in the violin repertoire.

Riiiiiiiight....

And this coming from someone who hasn't justified any of their views